The Royal Dee Yacht Club blue ensign is defaced with a wolf's head erased
argent, langued gules', facing the hoist.

A wolf's head was the arms of Hugh de Abrincis (or Lupus) 1st Earl of Chester,
William the Conqueror's cousin. He later got into trouble and "lost his head",
hence 'erased', meaning violently torn-off, leaving a jagged edge, sometime
shown red. A complete wolf is one of the supporters of the arms of the City of
Chester, and a wolf's head is the crest of the arms of the Cheshire Police.

David Prothero, 26 February 2003

Norie and Hobbs (1848) describes this flag
defaced with a bird. The error presumably originated when the tongue was
mistaken for a beak and the jagged neck for feathers. The error has been
repeated in other books including the 1905 Flaggenbuch and the 1923 Album des
Pavillons.

David Prothero, 27 February 2003

The Dunpy Pocketbook (1960) has a dog-like head, presumably white, but drawn
furred (it's in black and white, so the alternative is that is plain and
yellow). But then, this being an English publication from a time with easier
communications, they probably asked the club directly.

The badge is in effect the arms of the Duchy of
Cornwall
with the supporters and motto removed. The device above the shield is a coronet
of the heir apparent. His coronet is the royal crown with one arch omitted. The
Fowey Club, founded in 1880, became a yacht club in 1894, at a time when there
was a connection of sorts, between having the title royal, and a special ensign.
In September 1894 the secretary of the club wrote to the Admiralty asking how a
club acquired a royal title. The Admiralty passed the letter to the Home Office,
observing that the club had no warrant for a special ensign. The Home Office
file noted that the club might merit the honour even if it had no special
ensign, and replied to the club secretary that an application, signed by the
President on behalf of club, should be addressed to HM the Queen, and sent to
the Secretary of State at the Home Office, giving the number and the names of
members, the number of yachts owned by them, their tonnage, and also whether
there was a club house and annual regatta. The application was refused because
"the Prince of Wales made it a rule to honour only such clubs as had proved
their stability."

In May 1903, the secretary of the club wrote to the Home Office that the club
had now existed for nine years, had two hundred members, ninety-three yachts
with a total tonnage of three thousand, five hundred and eighteen, been in a
club house for five years, and held an annual regatta in August. The Home Office
asked the club for a list of its members and its balance sheet. It appears that
the application was forwarded to the King with the recommendation that it should
be refused, as an entry in the file dated 5 July noted that, "HM the King
approved of the request being refused." Arthur Quiller-Couch, an author who
wrote under the pseudonym ' Q ' was Rear-Commodore of the club. He wrote to Sir
Godfrey Lushington, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, asking, " Where do
we fall short ? Why have the Cruising Club, and the Norfolk and Suffolk lately
been granted the title ?" He was told that applications were being granted only
where special claims existed. The Admiralty refusal to grant special Blue
Ensigns was universal.

Fowey is in Cornwall, and it seems that the Duke of Cornwall was approached
about the matter. In August 1905 the club received a letter from Marlborough
House, residence of the Prince of Wales, who was the Duke of Cornwall, granting
the club the right to carry the coronet of the Duchy of Cornwall over the shield
as its insignia. On 31 October 1905 the Admiralty issued the club with a warrant
for a "Red Ensign with whatever device HRH may approve." In November 1905 the
club applied for the title royal and was again refused. Another application in
April 1907, when the club had two hundred and twenty members, and one hundred
and seven yachts with a combined tonnage of five thousand, was granted with the
note, "little different, but approved."
[National Archives (PRO) HO 144/598/B16959]

David Prothero, 28 November 2005

The crown is the coronet of the Heir Apparent, in this instance, in his role as
Duke of Cornwall. He wears a coronet with two arches, as opposed to the Imperial
State Crown, as worn by The Queen which, for example, has four arches. A
standard ducal coronet does not have arches.

The Heir Apparent's coronet is quite different from a ducal coronet. The symbols
on the Heir Apparent's coronet's top edge are four cross pattees separated by
fleur-de-lys (the same as those on the St Edward's and Tudor crowns), whilst
those on a ducal coronet are eight strawberry leaves. The Heir Apparent's
coronet has a single arch, traditionally worn with the arch going from ear to
ear. The arch does not dip at the top, but otherwise is the same as that on the
main crown, with nine pearls on each side and an orb at the top. The orb
normally differs from the main crown as it has a green mound with gold banding
and cross pattee, but this is occasionally done as all gold, as in the Prince of
Wales's personal standard for Wales, where the green orb wouldn't show against
the green shield so gold is used instead. More details on British crowns at
Crowns on Flags and
British Flags and Emblems.

The crown as shown on the flag here is pretty much correct, but I think there
are a few too many pearls on each arch. They are very small and I am finding it
hard to count them but I think there are more than the normal nine. Also the
central jewel is a sapphire, surrounded by two emeralds, with a ruby at each
end. This is the same arrangement for all jewelled UK crowns. Note that all
coronets below the rank of Heir Apparent do not have jewels, just gold
representations of them.Graham Bartram, 4 March 2005

Royal Harwich Yacht Club

A Blue Ensign, a yellow climbing lion in the lower-fly, one-third of the width
and two-thirds of the height.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 12 November 2001

The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club was founded in
1859. I'm not sure when the ensign was officiated. You can visit the club's
website at
http://www.rnsyc.org.uk/history.htm.Clay Moss, 1 February 2006

That same
web page (quoting "The First 125 years", by Charles Goodey, included in
RNSYC, 125 Years Sailing, 1859--1984, a commemorative booklet published in 1984
to mark the 125th Anniversary of the club's foundation) states "Mrs. Colman
broke the club flag over the new headquarters for the first time." on 11 July
1903, so a club flag was certainly in existence on that date.Colin Dobson, 1 February 2006

A Red Ensign defaced with the Prince of Wales feathers is
shown in the Admiralty Flag Book of 1875 as being that of the Norfolk and
Suffolk Yacht Club. It is marked "No Warrant : Ensign Illegal".

The Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club was granted a Red Ensign defaced with a crown
and Prince of Wales feathers in February 1898. On 17 March 1898 the club applied
to the Home Office for the right to add "Royal" to the club's name, adding that
the club had been established for fifty years, had an Admiralty Warrant, and
that its members had twelve yachts with a total tonnage of 470. The Home Office
checked with the Admiralty who confirmed the warrant, but stated that they did
not offer opinions on use of the title Royal. The application was laid before
Queen Victoria on 3 May 1898, but refused on the grounds that the club was not
sufficiently important. In 1909 the Home Office found that ten yacht clubs
that called themselves Royal, were doing so without authorisation; one was the
Norfolk and Suffolk. When the matter was investigated it was found that the
Admiralty had incorrectly made out the warrant to the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk
Yacht Club. The Home Secretary then appears to have been approached personally,
as the club claimed that Matthew Ridley had said "you have what you wanted." The
club had therefore been using the title since June 1898. The Admiralty claimed
that the Home Office had not told them that the title had been refused. The
title was officially granted to the club on 18 May 1909.
[National Archives (PRO) HO 144/605/B26398]David Prothero, 1 February 2006

For 153 years, The Royal Thames YC has used an undefaced
Blue Ensign (without any badge). The Royal Thames is
one of the first clubs to use the plain blue ensign, and the club's use of the
flag is indeed well known in yachting circles. Since 1848, the RTYC has been
authorized to allow qualified members to use the undefaced Blue Ensign.

The Club first used a plain white ensign, defaced with a club badge during the
1830s. Then, in 1842, the Admiralty decided that the White Ensign should be
exclusive to the
Royal Yacht Squadron (the nation's senior club). Thereafter,
from mid-1842 until 1848, the RTYC used a Blue Ensign that was defaced in the
fly with a crown (and I believe this was a red-colored depiction of the Royal
crown).

In 1848, the club changed to a plain Blue Ensign, and this has remained the same
ever since. I do not know the reason why the crown was removed in 1848. I do
know that the plain Blue Ensign ranks higher in precedence than a defaced
version.

The Thames Yacht Club was formed in 1823 by a break-away group, when the
Cumberland Society, established in 1775, was re-named His Majesty's Coronation
Sailing Society. The Society's flag was white with a crimson border, royal
crown, and lettering "G.R. IV Coronation Fleet".
[The King's Sailing Master by Douglas Dixon]David Prothero, 26 December 2005

The Windermere Sailing Club was established in the early 19th century, and
re-named the Windermere Yacht Club in 1860. In 1887 the club, which then had 104
members, owning 33 sailing yachts and 9 steam yachts, wrote to the Home Office
requesting a "Royal Warrant". The Home Office replied that a royal warrant was
for tradesmen who supplied the royal households. If a royal title was being
requested the club should submit full details to the Home Office and the matter
would be considered, adding, "The procedure by way of 'warrant' occurs when a
petition is sent to the Admiralty for authority to fly the Blue Ensign." The
club submitted details to the Home Office, and on 5 July 1887 was granted
permission to call itself the Royal Windermere Yacht Club.

The club had appeared in the Yacht and Sailing Club section of Lloyd's Register
of Yachts since 1881. Its flag was a Red Ensign defaced with a shield; three
yellow lions passant in pale on red, surrounded by a border of white
fleur-de-lis on blue. In 1889 this changed to a royal crown. Rule II in the
club's Rule Book read, "The Club Flags shall be Red Ensign with gold crown in
fly and Red Burgee with gold crown in centre." No warrant had been issued for
either ensign, but since the club was based on Lake Windermere, which has no
navigable access to the sea, the Admiralty were not concerned. A letter written
to the Home Office in 1902, asking if their royal title could continue
under the new sovereign, included the information that the club flag was, "red
ensign with crown in fly."

On 12 May 1914 the club wrote to the Home Office asking for permission for
Mr.R.H. Edmonson to fly the Royal Windermere Yacht Club flags on the Steam Yacht
'Sabine', which was being chartered by him for the season. The Home Office
replied to the Commodore of the club; "There appears to be some
misunderstanding. The Home Office letter of 18 July 1902, as you are aware, gave
permission for the use of the title Royal Windermere Yacht Club, and was not a
warrant. Questions relating to the flying of club flags do not fall within the
jurisdiction of the Secretary of State and would be glad to know what is meant
by the letter." The club apparently thought that the right to call itself
'Royal' also entitled it to add a crown to the Red Ensign, and to its burgee.
The Commodore wrote back that Edmonson had applied to the Admiralty who had
answered that permission could be granted only to clubs that had a general
warrant. A Home Office minute observed that, "Admiralty has no jurisdiction over
flags flown on inland waters though they do their best to secure observance of
the proper rules on such waters. If steam yacht went to sea, Admiralty would
have jurisdiction, otherwise could only bluff." [National Archives (PRO) HO
144/957/B1447]

The club continued to feature in the Yacht and Sailing Club section of Lloyd's
Register of Yachts until 1932, but was then omitted until re-appearing 1956. It
is unlikely that a warrant has ever been issued by the Admiralty since it is not
a legal requirement, but for some reason the club has appeared in the Navy List
of 'Yacht Clubs Using a Special Ensign' since 2001.David Prothero, 13 December 2005

The ensign of the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club (and granted in 1929, Victorian
crown notwithstanding).Ian Sumner, 25 June 2002

The special ensign of the RYYC was granted in 1879, but transferred from
the Red Ensign to the Blue Ensign in 1929.David Prothero, 26 June 2002

That is the blue ensign of the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club. The white rose is the
emblem of Yorkshire, while the red rose is the
emblem of Lancashire. When the House of Lancaster fought the House of York for
the crown of England it was called the War of the Roses. The Tudors combined
both the red rose and white rose to make the Tudor rose (red petals on the
outside, white on the inside) and ever since the Tudor rose has been used for
Royal Heraldry when a general rose is required. The separate white and red roses
are still used by their respective counties and by state official especially
connected with them. For example York Herald's emblem is a sun with a white rose
in the centre, a "Rose en soleil".
Graham Bartram, 15 August 2000

Grand Larousse Encyclopédique du XXe siècle
(1928) says that the Royal Yacht Squadron is the oldest yacht club in the world.
It was founded in 1812 and has its seat in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The King
granted its members the special privilege to use the White Ensign.Ivan Sache, 25 December 2005

Perrin
(p.137) gives the date of the Yacht Squadron's foundation (in Cowes) as 1815
rather than 1812, and cites the close of the long war with France as the spur.
He goes on to say that the club's first flag (unofficially adopted) was a plain
White Ensign without a Cross of St George in the fly, however, following
official objections this was withdrawn and the club flew an undefaced Red Ensign
between 1821 and 1829. In 1829 a permission to fly the "St George's or White
Ensign" was granted, which the club still flies.Christopher Southworth, 25 December 2005

RYS may be the world's *first*
yacht club measured socially, but not chronologically. That honour goes to the
Royal Cork Yacht Club in Ireland, founded 1720.
It's not even the oldest in England--that would be, I believe, the
Royal Thames Yacht Club
(1775).Joe McMillan, 25 December 2005

It is probably more accurate to say that
the Royal Yacht Squadron has continuously used the word "yacht" in its name for
longer than any other club. The seal of the club has the date 1812, but the club
was not formed until 1 June 1815.

Blue burgee with a green lozenge placed horizontally charged with a white S.
Sheppey Yacht Club is located in Sheerness, in the north of Kent, on the Isle of
Sheppey. The club was founded in 1932. I interpret the burgee as showing the
island in green within the sea in blue. Source:
www.dinghyweb.com/syc/

Snettisham Beach Sailing Club (SBSC)
was founded in 1937 by a group of Snettisham Beach bungalow owners interested in
racing their various craft and officially registered in 1938. During the Great
Flood of 1953 lives & property were lost; to this day the Club still races
memorials to members that perished, such as Peter Beckerton who lost his life
trying to save others. Snettisham sailors produced impressive results with
champions at National, Inland National and European championships.
The burgee of SBSC is red with a blue diamond charged with a yellow S placed
near the hoist.Ivan Sache, 15 July 2006

The Thames Estuary Yacht Club, Westcliff-on-Sea (http://homepages.rya-online.net/teyc/)
uses a white triangle at the hoist, containing the shield of Essex (three white
sea-axes on red), and in the blue field, two parallel red stripes, the first
running along the top edge of the white triangle.
Jonathan Dixon, 22 August 2005

The Waveney & Oulton Broad
Yacht Club (WOBYC) is based at Oulton Broad. The club was founded in 1946
when the two clubs which existed before the war combined. The club has always
been based on the present site which is leased from the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk
Y.C. The club is one of the largest in the broads’ area with a large
membership, the most modern clubhouse and the best sailing water. It is also the
only one that provides racing on fifty-two weeks of the year. The main
activity of the club is Yacht Racing, which takes place throughout the year,
with a summer series from April to October and a winter series from November to
March. The highlight of the year is Oulton Broad Regatta Week, which is held
towards the end of August and attracts helmsmen from several neighbouring clubs
as well as from further afield.
The burgee of WOBYC is white with a blue cross and a red square in the middle of
the cross.Ivan Sache, 11 July 2006

Burgee vertically divided black-white-yellow. The Wilsonian Sailing Club is
on the north bank of the river Medway close to the village of Hoo, near
Rochester. It is probably the largest club solely for dinghy sailors in the
north of Kent. Source:
www.wilsoniansc.org.uk

The Yare Sailing Club was reformed in 1985 to organise activities for Broads
River Cruiser Class sailors on the Southern Rivers of the Norfolk Broads.
The burgee of YSC is blue with a yellow cross.Ivan Sache, 11 July 2006